What characterizes initiation problems?

Initiation problems are primarily characterized by an individual’s difficulty in engaging in activities unless they receive prompts or cues from an external source. This can manifest as procrastination or a lack of motivation to start tasks, which can be particularly common after a brain injury. When individuals experience initiation problems, they may require reminders, encouragement, or structured prompts to begin even simple tasks, indicating a challenge with initiating actions independently.

In contrast, ability to engage in activities without prompts suggests proficiency in motivation and self-starting behavior, which does not align with the challenges posed by initiation problems. Likewise, the ability to start activities independently indicates effective self-initiation, directly opposing the core feature of initiation difficulties. Finally, proficiency in planning and executing tasks reflects organizational skills and execution abilities, which are separate from the inherent challenge linked to initiating tasks. Therefore, the definition of initiation problems is distinctly aligned with the notion of needing prompts to engage in activities.